Method and apparatus for manufacturing packing



Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,530 c. T. RIPLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PACKING Qriginal Filed June 19, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Zazfes QM kT i Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,530

I c. T. RIPLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PACKING Original, Filed June 19, 1922 2 5h s 2 mam:

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UNITED STATES CHARLES T. RIPLEY, 03E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PACKING.

Original application filed June 19, 1922, Serial No. 569,433.

Divided and this application filed This invention relates to the production of a composite material for journal-box packing or analogous purposes, .of the general character described in my Patent No. 1,298,794, dated April 1, 1919, consisting of a body of absorbent, fibrous or capillary, or other loosely aggregated material, such, for example, as cotton or woolen waste,;having embodied therein or interwoven therewith coiled, preferably helical metallic spring elements to give the material a resiliency desirable in order that it may re tain unimpaired its loosely aggregated condition and, when used as a lubricant carrier, its capacity for absorbing the lubricant.

The improvement in the material consists in providing the ends of the helical springs withacute angle return bends, the bent portions lying, preferably, in substantially the same planes with the adjacent portions of the springs, to eliminate the possibility of the material cutting the hands of persons handling it, to facilitate the weaving or iiisertion of the springs into the waste or like material, and to insure the retention of the springs therein; thebends being of such character as to give the ends of the springs a barbed or fish hook configuration which 30 niakesit easy to insert the springs (the formation of burrs 011 the severed ends of the wires having sometimes interfered with this operation in the manufacture of the mate rial with the springs asshown in my patent above referred to) besides effectively checking any tendency which there may .be for thesprings to work out of the waste. This improved material is disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 569,433, filed June 19, 1922, (now Patent No. 1,542,098, June 16, 1925) of which this present application is a division.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing the improved packing material as described above.

My Patent No. 1,395,299, November 1, 1921, discloses a machine for automatically forming the spring, such as contemplated in Patent No. 1,298,794, from a continuous wire,'severing the formed wire into lengths and inserting the lengths into the waste. The present invention provides a modification of this apparatus,involving a changed method of operation, whereby the bending Patent No. 1,542 098, dated June 16, 1925. April 6, 1925. Serial No. 21,165.

of the extremities of the formed springs is eii'ected, automatically, at the time the wire is bent to the helical configuration, and out into lengths.

The numerous objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of one approved form of the apparatus. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved form of spring;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, tional view the springs waste;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, with parts in section to illustrate the construction of the improved die block and movable die for effecting the bending and cutting operations;

Fig. 4 is a bottom View of in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on .line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7 are views, in perspective, of the movable die member;

Fig. 8 is a similar View of aspring retaining device for the severed end of :the wire which is associated with the movable die member;

Fig. 9 is an inverted sectional plan view on line 9f9 of Fig. 3; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are views similar to Fig. 9 but showing the parts in different positions.

Referring to the drawings, 12 designates one of the helical wire spring elements, the extremities 13 and 14 of which are bent at acute angles to the adjacent portions of the wire, the bent over portions 13, 14 being not only bent backwardly but also the portion 13 downwardly and the portion 14 upwardly so that the parts of the fish hook ends or barbs on the springare, in each case, in the same plane or approximately so.

The operations of forming the springs from a continuous wire, cutting the wire into lengths and inserting the formed severed lengths into the cotton waste or other loosely aggregated material (designated 15 in Figs. 2 and 5) are, in general, the same as those described in my Patent 1,395,299 above referred to, except that for my present purpose the machine as described in that patent had to bealtered in certain imporlongitudinal secof the apparatus for forming and inserting them into the the partsshown the tant respects in order to effect the desired bending over of the ends of the springs when formed.

Referring to Fig. 2, the waste or other material into which the spring elements are inserted is supported on a conveyor 16 which is moved by any suitable mechanism from right to left under the wire forming die block 17 into which is fed, by means of feed rollers 18, a continuous wire 19. 2Q

designates a movable die member which is reciprocated, by any suitable mechanism (not shown), across the lower end of die block 17 to sever the wire, which has been bent to helical configuration in block 17 and operating against the under side of conveyor 16. As the material is lifted toward the die block, and compressed against a guide plate 22 arranged thereunder, the helically formed wire is screwed into the material through an opening 23 in guide plate 22 (Fig. 5), the bending of the wire into its helical form and its insertion in the waste being one continuous operation. The lower end of the wire will have already been given its barbed or fish hook construction 14. When the wire has been inserted to a proper length in the waste the movable die 20 is thrust forward (to the right, Fig. 3), severing the portion of the wire inserted in the waste and at the same time forming the bends on the upper end of this piece of wire and the lower end of the wire in the die block. The upper end of the inserted wire spring will stand a little above the body of waste but when the waste expands after passing from between eccentric roller 21 and plate 22 and is taken from the machine and baled the interweaving of the springs in the material will be complete. In the baling operation the material is handled so that the springs stand in every direction in the waste.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 11 inclusive, the die block, as shown, consists of an outer shell 24 and a core or mandrel 25, these parts being held together by a pin 26 (Fig, 5). The die block is formed between the shell and core with a helical groove or passage 27 through which the wire is forced to give it the coiled configuration. The bottom of the die block is formed with a cutting blade 28 of substantial thickness since it is desirable not merely to sever the wire but to cut a piece out of it at the place of severance The coiled wire 12 passes from the lower end opening 29 of the form ng groove 27 across in front of the cutting blade 28 to a groove 30 in the outer face of the curved lug or anvil 31 projecting from the bottom of the core 25 of the die block (Fig. 9). From this point it passes down through opening 23 in guide plate 22 into the body of waste 15. The movable die 20 is formed with cutting edges 32, 32 on opposite sides of a slot 33 which bifurcates the die so that it will straddle blade 28. The forward end of the die is formed with a wedge-nose 34 which engages the wire 12 and adjusts it in its cutting position. On one side of the die is a tapered groove 35 extending upwardly and backwardly to engage the lower end of the portion of the wire remaining in the die block and bend the same inwardly and upwardly over an anvil 36, which is in the form of a lug projecting downwardly from the bottom of core 25 within a projecting portion 37 on the bottom of the shell, to form the acute angle return bend or barb 14 on the lower end of the coil. The other side of the die is formed with a backwardly and downwardly tapered groove 38 to en- 1 gage the upper end of the severed coil and bend the same backwardly over anvil 31 and downwardly to form the upper barb 13. Fi g. 10 shows the relation of the parts as the cut is about to be made and Fig. 11 their relative position when, with a further forward movement of die member 20, the bends 13 and 14 on the ends of the wires are made.

In order to hold the upper end of the severed coil in engagement with anvil 31 an angular holding device 39 is secured to the movable die. this device being provided with a forwardly extending spring arm 40 which bears against the wire 12. The movable die member 20 now retreats and as the material is carried forwardly and downwardly by movement of the conveyor the upper end of the embedded spring slips from the anvil 31.

It is fully appreciated that modifications might be made in the form and proportions of the various parts of this apparatus, or equivalents might be used, so that I wish it to be understood that my invention should be considered as covering any and all modifications in the apparatus above described,

into helical form and screwing the helically 1 formed portion into a mass of loosely aggregated material, compressing somewhat that portion of the material into which the wire is being inserted, severing the inserted portion of the wire from the uninserted portion,

lit

. feeding and forming acute-angle bends 011 the cut ends of the two wire portions.

8. Apparatus for manufacturing coiled wire springs for use in packing material, comprising means for giving the wire a helical configuration, means for cutting off a length of the helically formed wire, and means for simultaneously forming acuteangle return bent portions on the two wire ends adjacent the cut.

4:. Apparatus for manufacturing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled wire springs embedded therein, comprising means for giving the wire a helical configuration and feeding it into the fibrous material, means for cutting off the portion of the helically formed wire that has been inserted in the fibrous material, and means for forming acuteangle return bent portions on the cut ends of the two wire portions.

'5. Apparatus for manufacturing packing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled wire springs embedded therein, comprising means for giving the wire a helical configuration and feeding it into the fibrous n'iaterial, means for cutting off the portion of the helically formed wire that has been inserted in the fibrous material, and means for simultaneously forming acute-angle return bent portions on the cut ends of the two wire portions.

6. Apparatus for manufacturing packing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled wire springs embedded therein, comprising means for giving the wire a helical configuration and feeding it into the fibrous material, means for cutting off the portion of the helically formed wire that has been inserted in the fibrous material, means for forming return bent portions on the cut ends of the two wire portions, means for conveying the fibrous material laterally beneath the wireforming means, and means for pressing the fibrous material toward the forming means while the wire is being embedded in the material.

7. Apparatus for manufacturing packing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled wire springs embedded therein, comprising means for giving the wire a helical configuration and it into the fibrous material, means for cutting off the portion of the helically formed wire that has been inserted in the fibrous material, means for forming return bent portions on the cut ends of the two wire portions, means for conveying the fibrous material laterally beneath the wireforming means, and means for compressing the fibrous material while the wire is being embedded therein.

8. Apparatus for the manufacture of packing blade on the die block,

coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block having a helical wire bending passage and at one end thereof a wire cuttingblade,

and anvil elements for the severed ends of the wire, and a die movable across the die block which cooperates with said cutting blade and anvils to sever the wire and form its extremities with acute-angle bends.

9. Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block having a helical wire bending pasiage and at one end thereof a wire cutting blade, anvil elements for the severed ends of the wire, a (lie movable across the die block which cooperates with said cutting blade and anvils to sever the wire and form its extremities with acute-angle bends, and means on said die to hold the end of the severed portion of the wire against its anvil during the bending thereof.

10. Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block having a helical wire bending passage, and at the end thereof a wire cutting blade and anvil elements for the severed ends of the wire, and a d e movable across said die block which cooperates with said cutting blade and anvils to sever the wire and to bend the ends of the same at acute angles to and into the planes of the adjacent portions of the wire.

11. Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block having a helical wire bending passage and at the movable across the die block provided with cutting elements which straddle the cutting blade on the die block, and members engag ing the severed ends of the wires to bend the same around said anvils.

1 Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled Wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block having a helical w re bending passage and at the end thereof anvil portions for the severed extremities of the wire, and a die movable across the die block provided with cutting elements which straddle the cutting and members engaging the severed ends of the Wires to bend the same around said anvils and into the planes of the adjacent portions of the wire, respectively.

13 Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block formed with a helical wire bending passage and at its lower end with anvil elements and midway between the same a cutting blade; and a die movable across the end endthereof anvil portions for the severed extremities of the wire, and a die of said die block formed with a wedgeshaped nose bifurcated to straddle the cutting blade and formed on one side with a wedge surface backwardly and upwardly inclined and on the other side witha wedge surface backwardly and downwardly inclined to engage respectively the severed ends of the wire.

14. Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a die block formed with a helical wire bending passage and at its lower end with anvil elements and midway between the same a cutting blade; a die movable across the end of said die block formed with a wedge-shaped nose bifurcated to straddle the cutting blade and formed on one side with a wedge surface backwardiy and upwardly inclined and on the other side with a wedge surface backwardly and downwardly inclined to engage respectively the severed ends of the wire; and a spring finger associated with the movable die to hold the end of the severed portion of the wire against its anvil during the bending operation.

15. Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a pair of coacting die elements to operate on a helical wire, with a pair of anvils, and a cutting blade arranged between the anvils, and the other being bifurcated to straddle said blade and formed to bend the severed ends of the wires over said anvils.

16. Apparatus for the manufacture of coiled wire springs for composite packing material, comprising, in combination, a pair of coacting die elements to operate on a helical wire, one of said elements being formed with a pair of anvils and a cutting blade arranged between the anvils, and the other heone of said elements being formed ing bifurcated to straddle said blade and formed to bend the severed ends of the wires over said anvils and into the planes of the adjacent portions of the wire.

17. Apparatus for manufacturing packing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled springs embedded therein, comprising means or giving the wire a helical configuration and feeding the coil thus formed into the fibrous material, and means for forming an acute angle return bent portion on one end of the coil before it is fed into the material and forming a similar return bent portion on the other end of the coil after the coil has been fed into the fibrous material.

18. Apparatus for manufacturing packing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled springs embedded therein, comprising means for successively givin sections of the wire a helical configuration, and feeding the coils thus formed into the fibrous material, and means for simultaneously forming acute angle bent portions on the adjacent ends of the coil last inserted in the material and the coil next to be inserted.

19. Apparatus for manufacturing packing material composed of loosely aggregated fibrous material and coiled springs embedded therein, comprising means for giving the wire a helical configuration and feeding the coil thus formed into the fibrous material, and means for forming an acute angle return bent portion on one end of the coil before it is fed into the material and forming a similar return bent portion on the other end of the coil after the coil has been fed into the fibrous material and means for compressing the fibrous material while the wire is being embedded therein.

CHARLES T. RIPLEY. 

